SHOWMEN'S MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23333, 29 April 1939, Page 11

SHOWMEN'S MOVE

BOYCOTT ON AUCKLAND AGREEMENT NOT ACCEPTED THE WINTER EXHIBITION REPLY BY AUTHORITIES Claiming that the agreement with the show authorities would bet detrimental to their business, members of the New Zealand Showmen's Association have decided that they will not operate any sideshows at the Auckland Winter Exhibition, which opens on Wednesday. Showmen stated yesterday that they were given 110 right of appeal under the agreement, and could be summarily dismissed from the ground, so members had been advised to refrain from establishing sideshows. The organiser of the association, Mr. T. Cooper, explained that members had an agreement with the Royal; Agricultural Society to waive any licence pending a conference between the two organisations. Although advisod accordingly, Mr. W. F. O'Donnell, secretary of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, refused to accept it. Members contended that if they hijid been penalised by the agreement in the past, there was no reason why they should go on being penalised.

Auckland Association's Stand , Mr. Cooper added that the agreement was allegedly enforced after n sideshow firm succeeded in a claim against the Agricultural and Pastoral Association for breach of contract. One party to the case was prohibited from operating on the Auckland show grounds. Every effort to reach an agreement had failed. In reply to the showmen's decision, Mr. O'Donnell said the Agricultural and Pastoral Association would adhere to its principles, and did not care if it cost £IOOO to keep the showmen concerned off the show grounds. Ho added that the Showmen's Association did not represent the opinion of the showmen who did business with the Agricultural and Pastoral Association every year. Showmen had the right of magisterial appeal against any decision affecting the licence issued to them by the Royal Agricultural Society, said Mr. O'Donnell. The question of issuing the licences had been under the notice of the society since. 1933, and at the beginning of the present season associations were advised to refrain- from issuing them until the conditions were reviewed.

Claims lor the System "Auckland retains its own system of private contracts," Mr. O'Donnell continued. "The system has been in force for 10 years, and it has injured no one. It is vital that organising bodies should have control of their grounds, and if other bodies intend to give the Auckland association does not." A statement that the Auckland association has done more for showmen than any other body in New Zealand was made by Mr. J. Wylie, president. He said that Auckland had demanded that a provision granting right of appeal in cases of suspension should be included in the Act passed in 1933 to cover the; issue of licences.